Book 2: Sea of Storms
by ANYTHINGGOES31
Summary: Sequel to Book 1: Shrink thus the summary is the same. I'm thinking this is going to be a trilogy unless something else comes up, but I doubt it. this one is also going to be a lot longer than the first. oh before I forget, I do swear in this one, but nothing major and its only in one or two chapters. Please make sure you read the first book. K thanks.
1. Nightly Talks, Part 1

"Nothing is impossible just improbable," I said repeating what the owl and my mom had said. It seemed like a million years ago that I had been in that play room. I began to wonder if I would ever see my family again and if I did would they believe this story. And it wouldn't be the last.

The Major sighed. "Fine but I will lead this expedition."

I shrugged. I didn't really care who led the 'expedition' I just wanted to fine the Sugar Plum Princess and go home.

"Great so when do we leave?" asked Captain Candy.

"Upon the marrow!" shouted Major Mint. And the ended that.

What would happen if I was Clara in the nutcracker? This is based on Barbie's the nutcracker. A bit of blood mostly mine. I'm just that stupidly lucky. Book two: The Sea of Storms

Nightly Talks, Part 1

That night I went to the kids' room. They were in there candy pajamas. "Hey guys," I said as I came in.

Masher was there again. She grunted at me again and I hesitated. I seriously did not want to get into another fight.

"S'okay really," Said Éclair. She gestured for Masher to leave and me to come in.

With a grunt Masher and I seemed to subconsciously switch places.

I came to the children's bed sides. "Hey. You comfy?"

Both of the candy kids nodded. "So are you going to try and find that princess?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "But I won't be able to sleep tonight."

"That guy said you were a kid like us. Are you?" Froyo asked.

"I'm not as old as I look. I just came to kiss you good night like my parents always did," I said this with a little sadness. Again I wondered for the hundredth time will I ever see my parents and my annoying little brother again. And if I do somehow manage to survive this strange adventure would they believe me?

"Clara?" Éclair squeaked. "Did the Rat king take your family away from you too?" she seemed like she was afraid to ask.

"Yeah," I breathed "something like that," I tried for a smile but I didn't fool them, they're smart little candy people. Maybe the nurse was the only one that didn't know what she was talking about. Then again maybe she did.

That whack job nurse had said something just mere mutterings about me. It was something like 'you should rest but try not to fall asleep I'll come and wake you up every hour. Seriously get some sword practice in and you'll survive a lot longer you can't fail us Clara. Talk to the nutcracker he needs someone like you with talkin' skills to talk some sense into that thick wooden skull of his, the Major to.'

It seemed like she was going in several directions while staying in one place. I didn't really care what she was saying. But maybe this really is a dream.

I shook my head. Just go along with it. I kissed the two on their foreheads and walked out of the room. "Good night you two," And I clicked out the light.


	2. Nightly Talks, Part 2

Nightly Talks, Part 2

**these are going to be relatively short chapters.**

I close the door and instantly ran into Masher. I gulped and by the light of the moon I saw her fat pudgy face was scowling and her huge upper lip reminded me of the old pictures of royalty with a huge upper lip that made them seem to be scowling disapprovingly. So scratch the uncle she reminded me of she reminded me of my great aunt Helga. I gulped again.

Masher grunted.

"I-I –I" I stuttered nervously. Dear God she scares me! "I was j-just telling th-them g-good night."

She grunted a deeper grunt than usual. This made me stand a bit straighter. Like she was telling me to stop cowering.

"Uh y-yeah I was just leaving I wanted t-to talk to that nurse who b-bandaged my head."

Another grunt this one almost approving. She leaned forward her right eye closed and the left widened the eye ball looked me up and down. Masher straightened and nodded.

She stepped to one side so she was beside me. This made me feel uncomfortable. She pointed to the other side of the community. "Nurse who bandaged head over there," She said in a Russian accent and broken English. Her voice was deep and gravelly like a man's. Definitely my great aunt Helga.

Then she pointed to a figure walking in the moon light. But it didn't walk normally it walked like a big hunk of wood with legs; the nutcracker. "Girl need to talk to big vooden solider too. Girl need to vrealize vhat is happening to our land. Stupid Vrat take over no vun free to vrun in field pastures again, no vun free to see children again." with a start I realized Masher was talking about herself in the last part. She probably had a family that had been taken by the Rat king. "You must velp us Clara. You are last hope."

No pressure I thought. "But I-I'm just me."

"You vare special Clara."

I wanted to cry. This lady was telling me I would have to save this land that might not even be real and she scared me soooo much, not just because she was scary but the way she talked like I really was their last hope and a pretty desperate one to.

"Please Clara," She pleaded one last time and disappeared.


	3. Nightly Talks, Part 3

Nightly Talks, Part 3

So what now? I thought as I hesitated to knock on the nurse's door. This was not familiar at all so I was kind of lost. And I had more to do that night then I had originally thought.

Masher had said some things similar to the nurse like talking to the nutcracker and something about not failing.

Man, people were really putting pressure on me, someone who up until yesterday had no idea this land even existed. These people had to be out of their minds, kind and grateful and way too hopeful but nuts!

I heaved a sigh and opened the door. I stepped through not really paying attention and closed the door.

I looked up and saw two shadows on the wall and curtain. One was I believed to be the nurse and then a smaller one floating in midair like a fairy and it certainly had those sparkles dripping from it (not that I could see that but the sparkles cast fainter shadows) but this fairy seemed too big. It was much bigger than the snow fairy I had helped. At least seven, eight inches bigger.

The two seemed to be talking, and by the movements of the shadows… talking about something important like an argument. And even though I couldn't see them even from the distance by the door I felt a tension; suspenseful and angry.

I resisted the urge to call out. I heard the nurse's shadow say: "she is very special but that's impossible."

I ground my teeth together. Nothing is impossible just improbable! I mentally shouted.

"Improbable," Corrected the smaller shadow, the voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place it. "And yes very special sums her up but she is I'm telling you she is."

"No, I don't believe."

The fairy's shadowy arms thrust downward like in frustration. "Fine but I'm completely serious. But that's not why I came I heard she'd been hurt I wanted to make sure she was okay."

With a small gasped I wondered: were they talking about me.

Then there voices got very hushed like they had heard something but weren't ready to stop the conversation.

On impulse I stepped forward regretting it as soon as I did. Where I stepped the floor board creaked so loudly I nearly fell. But maybe it was only loud to me.

I grimaced and looked up to the shadows. They seemed tense. At least just by looking at their shadows. "It's her I'm sure of It." whispered the fairy flustered.

"Go shoo hurry!" cried the nurse in a hushed tone.

Panicked the fairy quickly flew out of sight.

The nurse took a second to compose herself then she moved the curtain away. She saw me immediately. "Oh! Clara!" she gasped as if she really hadn't expected me, humph faker. "I didn't hear you come in," She smiled polity.

I tried to hide my scowl. "Uh yeah," I grumbled. After that, I didn't feel like talking to the nurse. Not only because she was talking behind my back but also because what I heard had frightened me. 'She is I'm telling you she is.' The way that weird fairy had been talking like this She was going to do something spectacular. But maybe not the good kind of spectacular but the bad kind like a gorgeous fireworks display that goes horribly, maybe even fatally, wrong. I really didn't like the way she had said it.

But it didn't matter at least not at the moment. I had bigger things to worry about. "Yeah," I repeated. "I just came for some pain medicine," I really did need pain medicine. My head was throbbing hard and angry.

The nurse nodded like she understood and went to the cabinet. She pulled something out of it then poured something in it then handed it to me. Pink and blue gooey liquid meshed in a small cup. I drank it. It tasted like cotton candy.

I handed the cup back.

"It will make you drowsy. If you must sleep come to me and I'll lay you on a cot," Said the nurse and it actually made sense. This scared me a bit more.

"Um okay," I nearly tripped running out the door. I put my face in my hands and rubbed my eyes. What the heck was going on here?

I breathed trying to make sense of it all but it just hurt my head more.


	4. Nighly Talks, Part Sword

Nightly Talks, Part Sword

I decided I would go to the weapons storage and get a new sword. I was kind of fond of the nail file and would keep it in case of a last resort. I would ask the nutcracker or Captain Candy or Major Mint if they could help me with the sword fighting.

I knew a few things about swords. I did read a lot. And an unbalanced sword can be worse than having a nail picker.

I had to find one that was well balanced in my hand, light enough to be able to swing without difficulty but also heavy enough to withstand a blow and jab back.

I search for what seemed like forever! But way in the back in the last lonely barrel of fighting instruments I found a three-in-a-half foot sword, but not just any sword, my sword.

A pearly white and silver blade with a black and red point like onyx and ruby had been melted together. The hilt was gold with soft velvet and silk wrapped around it. It was beautiful. And on the top of the hilt etched in ebony and silver were beautifully in scripted symbols. I stared at them for a long time.

I finally gave up on trying to read the inscription. I would ask one of the guys what it said surly they would know.

I had changed since we had gotten here. I wasn't wearing my red Christmas blouse and white dress pants any more. I had changed into jeans and a normal t-shirt. I had also taken a shower and it felt so good. I grabbed a sheath for it and one for my make shift one.

I walked back to the door. Alright. I told myself time for me to talk some sense into people. I headed in the direction of the nutcracker.


	5. Nightly Talks, Part 4

Nightly Talks, Part 4

I found him sitting on the end of the wooden ground of the community. The poster he was in told me he was not happy.

His legs dangled off the edge. His head down and his hands seemed to have a mind of their own. He sighed and looked up at the moon.

I sat next to him. How to start this conversation would be difficult. I started with a greeting because that's how most conversation start; on a happy note. "Hey."

He started. "Oh hey," He said very distracted. "Didn't know you were there."

"Just got here, dude," I shrugged trying to keep it casual. Now several people said I was good at talking to people. I sincerely doubted it.

Nutcracker sighed and looked back to the moon.

I looked up to the huge full moon. It seemed to glare at me. Usually I loved going outside in the dead of night and look up at the moon but here it seemed to scowl down and say 'why are you here?' or 'what do you want?' I quickly looked back at the nutcracker. What to say next?

"Um so you couldn't sleep?" I asked. It had to be midnight.

He shrugged. "Being a nutcracker… well I'm just a piece of wood sleep seems kind of pointless."

"It always does," Being a night owl I could relate a bit. I didn't like sleeping. I felt most vulnerable when I slept.

At last he turned to look at me. His blue eyes stared into my green ones.

I became uncomfortable. "What?"

He squinted like he was trying to get a better look at me. "How are you so confident?"

"Whatch ya mean?" I asked.

"How you cannot freeze?"

I raised an eye brow. "Just cause I don't freeze doesn't mean I'm confident."

He shook his head, "no," He said it like he couldn't believe what I was saying. "No you're confident. You just don't know it. You can charge into battle with a nail file knowing it's a slim chance of coming out alive and you don't even hesitate."

"I wouldn't call that confidence, I'd call that stupidity."

"Or bravery."

"Idiocy."

"Loyalty."

"Ludicrous"

He laughed. Was he going to keep saying things? Because I was running out.

I paused. "Loyalty?"

His laugher died down. "Yeah isn't that why you fight? To help a friend?"

He had never called me a friend then again he didn't have to be talking about me.

"Friend?"

Even with the huge glaring moon's light our faces were shadowy. So I couldn't tell if he was blushing or not. But I'm sure I was.

"Well if you ran into battle to help an enemy then I guess that would be stupid."

"So we're friends?"

"Aren't we?"

Man I really hated that answer a question with a question thing but I found it so interesting because it was very forward. Like Masher or the moon. It knows you know the answer but saying it would defeat the propose and take away from its meaning.

"Yeah I suppose. But we didn't seem like friends when you pulled me behind that snow drifted when we were 'ambushed'," I finger quoted around ambushed.

I think he scowled and I had to crack a smile. His answer had to be interesting.

"That's because you were so cocky about it!" he said defensively. "Same when we first met!"

My mouth dropped. "Cocky! I'm cocky! You over reacted! And I'm sorry that I saved your life!" okay that last part was a little harsh. I guess I wasn't as good at talking to people as they thought.

He growled an unintelligent response and turned to get up.

I smacked my forehead and sent a wave of pain through my skull. I cried out. "Ow!" I clutched my head. "Ow," I muttered.

Nutcracker quickly turned back with possibly a concerned look on his face. I couldn't tell with pain clouding my vision.

"What's wrong?" he said. His voice sounded different.

The pain passed. "I'm okay. It's just my head."

"Hey maybe you should try and sleep."

"Sleep is pointless."

"Stop making me feel stupid!" he yelled. This sent another wave of ache through my chest and head.

I gasped.

"Sorry!" he whispered. I think he grimaced.

"Stupid," I muttered. "How do I make you feel stupid? Aren't I the one charging into battle with little chance at surviving?"

"That's how! By being right."

A tight lip grin formed on my face. "Nutcracker you were uptight with a lot to prove. And I didn't mean to be cocky but to have survived a battle like that… that's pretty good for a girl who had never actually fought with a sword before," I looked up and into his eyes. "I was meaning to ask you… if you could help teach me to fight. You know with a sword."

He blinked and his mouth opened slightly. "Um, uh sure I guess I could do that."

I laughed. "It would be better if I didn't get an injury after every fight."

"Yes," He agreed. "That would be best."

I took a deep breath through my nose and out of my mouth. "I've also been meaning to tell you."

Okay so how was I going to say this? 'Um hey I know your prince Eric. Why do they hate you?' straight forward but maybe too forward. Maybe 'so um Prince Eric how did the rat king take over?' No! Bad-bad idea. Hmm. Finally I said. "I know."

He raised an eye brow and leaned in. "know what?"

"You're secret, what you've been hiding from your best friend, the Major, and me."

If wooden eyes could widen they did. He tried to cover it by playing dumb but he knew he had slipped. "What-what do you mean?"

"Well either you were really close to the Prince or you are him."

He backed away. "How did you—?"

"Know that you are Prince Eric? Well you don't like talking about it and every time the subject comes up you get all depressed."

His eyebrows arc and his mouth dropped.

I blushed. "I'm observant."

"Was it really that obvious?"

"Yes and every time you say you're just a wooden man you're just lying to yourself. You're much more than a nutcracker. Your prince Eric rightful ruler of Barthania."

He grunted. "I might as well be a nutcracker! My subjects think less of me than they do of the Rat king."

"That's because they don't know that you're the nutcracker."

He sighed. "I have to set things right."

"Yes, you do but I'm going help you."

He looked at me his eyes seemed like they had become a little human in the liquid moon light. "How?"

"Because I want the people of Barthania to see you the way I see you."

"Oh? And how do you see me?"

"As a brave and valiant hero. A brave prince fighting for his subjects and kingdom."

He sighed again. "If only," He got up.

"Wait!" I said getting up.

Green met blue. "So you'll help me?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"With my sword fighting."

"Oh!" he yelped like he'd forgotten so quickly. "Uh yes I'll help you."

I smiled. "Thanks," And hugged him.

He seemed surprised at the gesture but so did I. I pulled away. "Uh," I chuckled. "Good night."

"Uh yeah good night," And he disappeared into the shadows were no moon light shone.

I sighed and looked back up at the moon. It didn't seem so frightening now it seemed to still glare but it was a Masher Glare. It approved but still had the rough exterior like saying 'not bad kid.'

I looked at the sheath brown like deer skin and velvety on the inside. Small swirls like smoke from a fire or mist rising from a bog. A symbol was in scripted with rubies was in the middle. The sword seemed to fit it perfectly. Easy to pull out but not where I could easily lose it. I guessed I would get a better look at it tomorrow.

Until then I would have to go to the nurse's cot and feel as though the strange conversation was still going on somewhere behind me.


	6. Recollection of the Previous Night

Recollection of the Previous Night in the Morning

When I woke up it was still dark. But I had to get up. A feeling that I had to get out of that bed and just move pushed me to my feet.

My head throbbed as I got dressed. I had completely forgotten about my concussion and my poor night. I had been woken up by that psycho nurse every hour asking me "Hey you still alive!" and with the creepy shadows cascading across her face, it was unnerving.

I shook my head hoping to shake the images out of my head. No such luck and I had been particularly lucky in all this, at any rate it just made my head hurt worst. And my chest was sore from the broken ribs and it was hard to breath.

I let out a small agonized sigh and pinched my nose. If I had had an upset stomach ache it wouldn't have been a big issue.

I decided to take a risk and get some medication on my own.

I found a small bottle and opened it smelled like peppermints. Nope. Another bottle I shook it and the sound of pills came from inside, nope. I went through two cabinets of various medicines when I found a small box a little bigger than my palm.

Opening it I found a small vial about the size of my for finger with an orange liquid inside, my gut told me that it was the right one same with my nose but my logic told me otherwise. It was orange the stuff I drank was blue and pink.

Should I go with my gut or logic? Which would you chose? I went with my gut. I mean why not it was just a dream… right?

I took a cautious sip. It tasted like watermelon, which made no sense since it was orange. However I felt good, really good. My ribs felt great and my head didn't pound. Deep down grinding in my gut that said if this stuff made me feel this good there was bound to be a catch. My logic said the same.

I swallowed down the rest of the taste in my mouth and quickly put the vial back.

I grabbed my sword and bag that Captain had given me just after we had all agreed to go on the quest and Major Mint had left.

_"Excuses me Miss?" said the Captain. _

_I turned to look at him. "Yeah?"_

_"Um I noticed you didn't have a satchel," He had a heavy Indian accent. He handed me a tan leather back pack. _

_"Oh," I smiled "thanks, and you can call me Clara," I took the pack gratefully. _

_The captain blushed and looked down. "You're welcome," He did a half smile when he looked back up. He laughed nervously "um I'll see you tomorrow," Then turned and ran into a table knocking maps and pencils off. _

_My hand slapped my mouth to hide the small laugh that was about to escape my lips. _

_Then Candy laughed and turned towards me, red in the face, as if we had just made a joke. Immediately I laughed too. He wasn't hurt and he was laughing. Everything was okay._

_Between my gasps for air I laughed, "You okay?"_

_He laughed, "Yeah I'm fine I am a bit of a klutz."_

_I gave him a huge smile. "Sure you are captain."_

_We laughed as if we were best friends. I suddenly felt a lurch this was the prince's best friend and the prince was the nutcracker. My laughing faltered. _

_Candy stopped laughing and looked at me. "Are you okay?" he asked politely._

_I cleared my throat nervously remembering Clara was supposed to fall in love with the nutcracker, not his best friend. "Oh nothing just you know my head," I tried to brush it off. Over Candy's shoulder I saw the nutcracker by the door pretending to clean his sword. He was glaring at Candy._

_"Oh maybe I should take you to the nurse?" Candy offered, looking worried. _

_"Oh no that's fine," I caught a glimpse of the nutcrackers murderous look towards the captain. The last thing I needed was to be breaking up a fight. _

_"You sure?" he asked skeptically. _

_"I'm fine Captain, just a little rest and I'll be fine," Sure my story didn't make sense but did it really have to? My head really was bothering me. I gave him another smile a confident brave smile though it wavered a bit when I saw nutcracker leave. "Listen Cap, I'll see ya in the morning."_

_He gave me a small smile. "Sure glad to help."_

_I nodded and quickly walked out of the room. As soon as I was sure Captain Candy couldn't hear me I let out a long sigh. _

_Over the years I had noticed that I was sometimes attracted to Indian or Asian guys, there exotic and have an accent which is always adorable. _

_But I doubted I was I really in love with him. I mean seriously I never really believed in love at first sight. Plus my mind was kind of on over load with the whole nutcracker thing._

_Was I really in love with the nutcracker? Looking at him or standing by him I don't feel any different as if I were standing by my friends. _

_But seeing him glare at Captain Candy made me feel bad for laughing like a total idiot around him. _

_Were dream selves supposed to have such a dynamic in emotions? All these questions were flooding into my mind I didn't realize the two shadows come up behind me... _

"Hey what are you doing?" squawked someone from behind me shocking me out of my memory. I jumped and turned expecting to see the psycho nurse; instead it was just the parrot. Another memory slipped back into my mind.

_"Hey, hey you still alive?" whispered the weird nurse. _

_I turned over and looked at her she had a candle in her hand making her eyes look like yellow and orange pools of flame. _

_I tried to make my voice work. "y-y-yes!" I stuttered. _

_"Good I'm going out and won't be back. You don't die okay?"_

_"sh-sh-sure."_

_The nurse walked out of the light. _

_I hiccupped a yelp. I rolled back over and tried to go back to sleep. _

_About ten minutes later I heard a voice that sounded like the nurse. "Hey, hey you still alive?"_

_I sat up so fast that my head began to pound. "Yes! yes I'm still alive!" if I hadn't been so tired and scared me probably would have awakened the entire village. I looked around but I didn't see the nurse. This scared me even more._

_ "Yes! yes I'm still alive!" shouted the voice again but this time it sounded more like me. I did a quarter turn and saw a multi colored parrot. I took a step towards it. "Hi?" I said to it._

_"Hi!" it squawked back._

_I cocked my head. "So what's your name?" I wondered why I had never noticed it before and why a nurse kept a parrot in the infirmary. It just couldn't be sanitary._

_"I like cotton candy!" it squawked._

_"Huh," I shrugged._

_"My head is bleeding," It muttered._

_I laughed. "Wow," I had to get back to sleep. "Well good night Parrot," I went back to bed but the bird kept muttering very disturbing things. _

_"I hate this place. The knife hit him right in the heart, died instantly. So much death here. Yes I know why he's here. Why do you keep asking me this? Fire and lightning. It's her I'm sure of it." _

_My breath hitched. I lay awake there in the suddenly cold bed until the nurse came back. _

My mind came back to the present. I looked at the parrot and glared. Stupid bird, I thought.

I gripped my stuff and walked out.

The tree top community reminded me of the boardwalk at the beach you could walk to one side then turn around and walk the whole length the entire day.

It was too early for anyone to actually be awake and in truth I was not a morning person but if you've ever been away from home you tend to get up earlier and well when you're about to go on a possible wild goose chase to stop an evil Rat tyrant you tend to get up even earlier.

After I was out of the nurse's office and walked a short length of boardwalk my eyes screamed at me to let them close. But I fought of control.

I stumbled to the one end of the community where I stood ready to collapse I looked up at the dawning night, at the fading stars.

I took a deep breath.

I had a bad feeling that I would never see the tree top community again. Or if this did turn out to be a wild goose chase and there is no magic princess to turn me back to my normal size I might never see my family again and this was not the last time I would think about this. This was such a big risk I was taking, so many questions swirled and bashed against my skull.

As the sun began to turn the sky pink and red I remember the old sailors' rhyme my parents taught me: red a night sailors' delight, red in the morning sailors take warning; a storm was coming. As I remember I swore that if this was all a dream that I would never forget it and if it wasn't (and if the Sugar Plum Princess isn't real) then I would help these people to take back there kingdom, after I give the nutcracker a good beating for saying the princess was real, prince or no prince.

I took another deep shaky breath as I watched the sky turn orange and yellow. People would be waking up soon.

Breakfast. Hmm what to do about breakfast. My father always nagged me about how breakfast was the most important meal of the day. The thought of never seeing my family again made me want to, well, do what he would tell me to do.

Breakfast, I thought again.

"My, you're up early," Said a frail voice said from behind.

You would think after all this I wouldn't jump at voices behind me but well I was tired and not really paying attention.

I jumped and turned. Mrs. Mint…

_Were dream selves supposed to have such a dynamic in emotions? All these questions were flooding into my mind I didn't realize the two shadows come up behind me... _

_ "What was that about?" I nearly jumped out of my skin as a fragile female voice came behind me. I turned around. In the dim light I saw a gray haired old lady standing straight and regal and next to her was the Major. _

_I clutch my chest. "Ma'am no offence but I'm in no condition to give a heart attack to."_

_"Terribly sorry," She said. She smiled warmly. "I assume you met my husband Major Mint. I'm Mrs. Mint," She reached out her hand and for the first time I realized the two had their arms entwined like they were going to dinner or something. _

_I shook her hand. "I'm Clara."_

_"Pretty name."_

_"Thanks."_

_"I assume you're ready for tomorrow?" the Major said gruffly._

_Mrs. Mint sighed "dear," She rolled her eyes. "Clara before you answer that would you mind answering my question."_

_"Uh sure what was it again?"_

_"What was that about?"_

_"Oh um I'm sorry what was what about?" I felt so stupid and guilty for not being able to answer._

_"Well dear first that nutcracker stormed out then you come out looking like you'd just seen a ghost and then Candy my second in command comes out looking happier than ever," Said the Major. _

_"Oh well um that's a little hard to explain Mrs. Mint," I rubbed the back of my neck feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable, "you know without going into a long story," The two kind of reminded me of my grandparents on their better days. _

_"Alright but it was strange," Said Mrs. Mint._

_"And I don't want you messing with my second in command," Said her husband. _

_Mrs. Mint laughed. "Dear!" she turned back to me. "Dear you should get some rest and don't mind my husband if he has an off day," She smiled as her husband's mouth opened and closed and blubbered as he tried to control his anger. _

_Major Mint huffed an undignified response "never mind that. We meet at the ladder you came up and then we will be off. And remember I don't like to be late."_

_I cracked a half smile. "Alright good night."_

"Mrs. Mint!" I yelped. "Mrs. Mint I'm sorry did I wake you? I'm not usually up this early but being in a strange place I—"

"Please dear you didn't wake me and I don't need an explanation," She held her hand up and smiled.

Good I thought I didn't want to explain it.

"Why don't I get you some breakfast?"

Right on cue my stomach growled. "Thank you."

I scarffed down my egg and bacon sandwich and tea as politely but quickly as possible. As I gulped down my last bite and washed it down with the last swig of tea I said. "Thanks for the breakfast."

"Not a problem dear." Mrs. Mint said smiling. "Now you best be off."

"Right!" I yelped remembering that the Major didn't like being late and it was already 'upon the morrow'.

I grabbed my satchel. As I got up my sheath stabbed my left thigh. I grimaced it was a dull pain that I'd felt before when I got up from a chair and hit my hip on the end of the chair I limped for hours afterward. I let out a small groan "Ow," And jogged painfully out of the breakfast nook. "Thanks again Mrs. Mint!" I called over my shoulder.

"Be careful dear!" she yelled back, "and please keep my husband safe!" she yelled again after a few seconds when I was almost out of ear shot.

Keep her husband safe huh? Not going to be an easy task. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts as I saw the three people I was supposed to travel this county with gathered at where we were supposed to meet.

"Of course your late why wouldn't you be!?" growled Major Mint.

Everyone was there the nurse, Masher, Éclair, Froyo, and all the other villagers. Mrs. Mint came up behind me a few seconds later. "Good morning," She said smiling and kissed the Major's cheek.

The Major blubbered at the sudden action. But his wife just laughed.

I would have laughed but at the moment I felt out of place and suddenly frightened but also a twinge of gratitude towards Mrs. Mint for getting me out of the scolding. Panic swept over me. I mean I was going to leave this place and travel around with three men. Not how my typical dreams usually went.

Though a vague familiarity came over me. Nothing worse than some rats were going to happen on this trip… right?

I shoulder my pack. I had nearly forgotten my sword lessons and the pain in my thigh had reminded me. As the Major began his farewell speech I walked over to the nutcracker and whispered: "you haven't forgotten our deal?"

He looked at me. It was strange looking at him as this way bulky and wooden and not human. I had only just then realized the weirdness of it. And if a word could describe this whole thing it would be weird.

"Deal?" he asked.

I refused to sigh or get angry. I had nearly forgotten. "Yes our agreement last night? Sword fighting."

"Oh ah yes of course I'd forgotten sorry," Said the nutcracker in the same hushed whisper.

I shrugged. "So how should we begin?"

"Well first you need a sword, if I had remembered I could have gone to the weapon storage—"

"Oh that's okay, I already have one."

"No I mean a real sword. One that—"

"Is well balanced," I finished unsheathing a small bit of my sword.

His eyes widened looking at the weird inscription.

I sheathed it and looked back at the Major, who was finishing up his long speech about faith and strength.

"And may the Gods be with you!" he finished.

He turned and led the way down the ladder, then Candy, nutcracker, and last of all me. It was a good sendoff I suppose. Lots of whoops and hollers for safe journey and all that. But I couldn't shake the feeling of dread as I looked back at all the drawn but happy faces. Then I descended down the rope ladder.

**seriously a long friggin chapter. whew. And thank you to my lone reviewer. kittyhawk09. she gave me new inspiration! I'm going to start writing for this fan fic again! yay! alright alright. thanks again R&R! :)**


	7. Traveling Circus

Traveling Circus

**This is the chapter that I will swear in. nothing major. I really have no idea why it's written like this. I think I was going through something at the time. Idk. But I've had this written for like a while now and just now have I decided to finally post the rest of it.**

On the road again. Oh joy just what a sore back needs. Why oh why?

_Because you have to get home to your family. You got to get the Rat king's curse off you and go home. _

But why must it involve a long journey to places I don't care about? Who cares if the rat is taking over? It's not my problem!

_Well if anything you should at least care about you getting home safely. But you do care more than just that. You do care about what happens to these people, think about Froyo and Éclair._

But-but. Ahhh! Why must you always be right?

_Because I'm your conscience._

Shut up I know what you are. Why did I ever agree to this stupid quest?

_Do we really need to go over this again?_

"No!" I accidentally said it out loud. We'd been walking for hours in total silence and suddenly I say 'no' to nothing! When they looked back to see what had happened. I looked down at my feet as I walked as if nothing happened, hoping to God they would take it as 'I didn't hear anything' and they hopefully think 'I must be hearing things'

I went back to my mental conversation with my very irritable self.

_"Smooth"_ said my conscience.

"Shut up nobody asked you," I mentally snapped.

_"Don't put that on me. You have to think about why you're really doing this, you still think this is all just a dream and think that when you wake up you'll be normal again laying on the photon."_

"That's cause it is, isn't it? I mean that just means that this is all my imagination and this land never existed and neither do the people. So why should I care if the tyrant Rat is taking over it's not real!"

_"Is it?"_ asked the conscience raising and eyebrow

There it was, even I was answering my own question with a question I hated myself. "Isn't it?" I asked desperately. This couldn't be real and even as far as my dreams go this was a long one I suppose.

I felt like my conscience smiled. A strange mixture of mocking amusement and sympathetic knowing that I sometimes gave myself when reading. I now realized how the nutcracker felt and how annoying it was. Plus I no longer wanted that smile to exist it sent a wave of guilt and the sense of 'you don't know what I know' that motherly look all female parents give their kids like 'you're not old enough to understand, I know everything and I will try to teach you but you probably will never get it, because you're not me.' God I was so annoying! Damn it why why why!

"Go to Hell," I finally told it.

"_If I go to Hell then you'll have to come to_," It said.

"Shut up!" instead of mentally growling at my conscience I said it out loud and not only said it out loud but shouted it, really loudly.

My face blushed when I realized my mistake. Everyone turned around and stared at me. I was more irritated at myself then them but I couldn't help snapping. "What? You all look like you've never had a mental argument with yourself before!" I stormed ahead face burning.

I had no idea where I was going I just knew I had to get away from their judging faces.

As I ran I wiped away tears. Stupid conscience, always being right always logical. Why am I everyone else's very annoying conscience? Now I really hated myself. I vowed I would never be someone's conscience again. That didn't work so well.

I sat on a log and sighed wiping the last of the tears away.

"Sorry" said my conscience. At least I think it was my conscience. I wasn't sure if conscience could apologies.

To be save I looked around. "Who's out there? Are you friend of foe?"

"You must have good eyes and ears to have spotted me so easily," Said a different voice I was sure was not my conscience.

And out from a tree three feet away from me a tall limber woman wearing a strange full-body suit that seemed to match her surroundings so it was hard to focus on her, until she took off her hood then I could see her beautiful face. I had to catch my breath.

"Uh hi!" I tried.

"Hello," The woman said smiling. She wasn't a candy person. I could tell by her almond shaped eyes and chocolate colored skin, button nose and high arching eyebrows that she was something else.

"Um no I didn't see or hear you but um are you a nymph?" I asked. I had read a lot of mythology and it would make sense that in my dreams I would dream of a nymph.

The woman laughed. "No but thank-you, I'm from the circus."

"Circus? What circus."

"Hmm. I don't suppose you've heard of the Rat king?"

I let out a growl, "I hate that Rat."

The woman eyed me, then she smiled, "come, I'll show you."

I stood up to follow but then… strange woman in the middle of the wood? Well if it were a man I might have thought worse but it wasn't plus, duh, it's a dream. I'm was in no real danger… right?

I began to follow her but then I stop, "wait!"

The woman stopped and turned around, "what?" concern danced in her voice.

"my-my friends," Oh God I'd left them in the middle of the field we'd been in, "I don't know where they are!" I suddenly felt panicked.

I turned frantically around but I didn't see anything but wood and the woman.

They hadn't followed me. Perhaps they thought I just ran off and would come back… or I wasn't very far. Oh dear I didn't even know the way I'd come. I felt my stomach churn. I had no way of contacting them. I felt like an idiot. It was stupid to just run off like that. Oh I knew I was going to get heck from Major Mint.

I cracked a small smile at the image of Major Mint yelling at me. I looked around again. Sadness over took me. They'd find me right? If I just stayed… they didn't know where I was at.

I looked at the woman, "My friends," I sat down again and put my hands to my face.

The woman sat beside me and put a hand on my back, "it'll be alright, I'm sure they can fend for themselves for the night."

I looked up at the woman, she smiled kindly, and then I looked around. It was getting dark.

"It's getting late and my shift is almost up," The woman said, "I know where you can get shelter, a good night's rest and you'll be ready to help your friends."

"Shift?" I asked.

"Too many questions right now," the woman stood up. She looked up at the sky, "the rats hunt at night."

Just by the way she said it sent a shiver down my spine. It made the rats seem even more animal like more like wolves than cute little things that are known for chewing wire.

I decided now wasn't the time to think. At all. Not about wolves or rats. Not about following a strange woman I'd just met, and not about never seeing my friends again.

The sun was just a small line of light across the west mountain ranges when we got to the clearing.

The woman had introduced herself as Rain.

Rain pushed away the last few low hanging branches and we stepped out into the clearing.

When I saw what I saw… I couldn't hold back a not-so-little gasp.

**E-hehehe! And that's where I'm stopping! I'm sure you can guess what I saw. Don't worry I have many ideas lined up it's just the matter of putting them to paper. R&R. thanks, love you guys!**


	8. Mistakes and Fears

**Alright, like I said the last chapter was kind of odd for me. I don't usually swear all willy nilly like that and if you noticed I could have sworn a few more times during the end but chose not to. Like I said I think I was having a bad day when I wrote half of it, hopefully that won't happen again.**

**Don't own nothing, now on to the story.**

When I saw what I saw… I couldn't hold back a not-so-little gasp.

The clearing was at least two miles wide and the huge yellow tent that was set up at the side took up half of that space.

The yellow tent looked something I'd imagine from Dumbo, but twice as big, and was set up to the back-ish part of the clearing.

Out in front was even more bizarre.

Smaller tents some were about a normal circus tent standard and then some were even smaller tents some so small you could only fit one person.

And then the colors of the tents were just as strange. One I saw that could fit ten people was blue with pink polka dots, another which could only fit two was red and white striped. Another that looked like two sawn together was black with purple zig zags. And still another was half orange and half yellow. So many tents line the outside.

Some were clustered together others were ten yards apart.

Wires ran the length of the tent. Wooden stakes and picnic tables also dotted the grounds to.

And don't you dare believe for one second that the place looked even remotely deserted. I saw clowns acrobats and strange oddities galore.

I saw a clown with blue pajamas with purple polka dots and pink hair sticking out to the sides and on top of his bald white head had a small blue bowler hat with a green ribbon tied in front. The classic red nose and red lip lined mouth chomped down on a long sandwich of some kind at a maroon picnic table.

I saw a two foot tall girl with her brown hair in a bun, in a red and gold dress holding up a big gold ring.

Balanced on top of that was a five foot tall man, with a red and gold body tight suit and black hair up in an Elvis style, by one of his hand. The other was out and his feet were up in the air. Balanced on his feet was another slightly bigger gold ring.

Balanced on top of that was a girl wearing the same thing and her brown hair up in a bun the same way as the first girl about four feet standing with one foot with the other out in back. Her hands were out to the side. Balanced on her head was an even bigger gold ring.

Balanced on that gold right was a three foot tall woman looking much like the last (same hair same dress) balancing by her head. Held on her big two was the biggest gold ring yet.

And you'll never guess what was balanced on that… a dark gray curly haired dog with a red and gold vest standing on its hind legs balancing a small gold ring.

I saw a woman in a pink tutu on a unicycle with an umbrella in her hand roll past two clowns beating each other with bats.

I saw a woman who looked to be twelve feet tall in yellow footie PJs with red polka dots roaming around.

I saw acrobats and trapeze artists pass with mere inches between them.

I also saw animals.

Lions and tigers roamed freely around the grounds. Some of the people even petted them! I saw horses prance around, sometimes with riders sometimes not.

Birds such as doves flew around and perched on the high beams and tightropes.

With all the oddities around you wouldn't expect to see normal people. But there were. Regular families wondered the grounds as well saying hello to the performers and petting the animals.

There was so much to take in I felt dizzy I took a step forward.

"Don't!" was all I heard before I was pulled back.

That shook my dizziness away. My vision cleared and I was staring at a white lightning bolt.

I blinked backing away slowly.

"Is that-?" I didn't want to finish my sentence.

"Yes it is," Rain nodded, "the electric fence helps with the protection."

I saw no wires to carry the electricity but I did see wooden poles, and every so often a white lightning bolt would crackle into existence then burn out, almost like sparks… long deadly sparks.

"Then… then how do we get in?" I now felt fear rise in my throat and regret clutched it. Why had I left my friends?

"Shhh," Rain put her finger to her lips then flicked her wrist. Out popped a metal rod.

I immediately felt sick, metal and electricity were all fine and dandy unless you don't want to get electrocuted.

She bent down at and rammed the rod into the ground under the fence. The buzz of electricity got louder and the lighting grouped together in the one section she seemed to be lifting up. It gathered and buzzed and frankly scared the living daylights out of me, it was so loud.

She motioned me to go under which I did and she followed suit.

She began to walk to the big top and I had no choice but to follow her.

Many of the performers and even the normal people greeted her.

"Hello Rain!" Greeted a clown on stilts.

"Good evening Rain," said a mother who was walking with her daughter.

"Good to see you've made it back Rain," said the fire jugular.

"Rain! How are you!" called an acrobat flying through the air.

"Greetings Miss Rain," Said a man in white and red striped pants a red velvet coat and a white top hat. He wore an eye mask of glittering red. I could see his hair was black and had a handle bar mustache. He had a long nose and chin. Something you'd expect an old cartoon villain to look like. I certainly hoped he wasn't a villain.

He stopped us, "and who do we have here?"

"Mistre," Rain smiled up at the tall man, she said his name like Mystery, but instead of sounding like Mr. E it sounded more rushed like Miss Tree. "This is Clara, I found her in the woods and she wishes shelter."

"She does, does she?" he eyed me behind his red glittery mask.

"h-hello," I stutter.

He cracked a smile, "worker or participant?" he asked now looking at Rain.

"Participant for now but if she wishes she can become a worker," Rain said without hesitation.

I didn't know what they were talking about and I suddenly felt like I was being put into Hermes cabin.

"Alright show her to her room, she may have to share when it gets closer to the show," and with that the mysterious Mistre left us.

"What were you guys talking about?" I said after a while, still trying to process all that was around me. We were now in the Big Top and it seemed like it was even bigger on the inside!

Elephants were preforming tricks on a stage and people were filling water into another one.

I even saw a few clowns setting up cameras. And I began to wander what kind of circus it was.

"You mean worker and participant?" Rain asked waving to the two clowns on a ladder.

"Yes," what more could I say?

"Well…" she seemed to be contemplating on either how to tell me or what to tell me, "we're a traveling circus… and…" Rain looked around as if expecting someone to interrupt her. And it seemed as if everything got quiet, like everyone had stopped what they were doing and watching Rain tell a very very important secret to the new girl.

I suddenly felt nervous, suddenly the glances I got turned into stares. Menacing stares, one clown even seemed to turn into a pointed tooth monster rehabilitating my fear of clowns. I gulped.

"We help the refugees," Rain finished and continued walking.

I stood still letting the four words sink in. I quickly caught up to her, "Refugees?" I suddenly thought of Masher.

"Yes, since the Rat took over, many people have been dislocated. We try and help them move to saver locations. Each place we stop we drop some off, and pick some up."

"That… that is so cool," I suddenly felt the stares turn into glances again. I almost felt proud to be there. I saw just how many performers there were all of them helping those who had had to abandon their homes. And I'm sure that some of the performers had been refugees to, given a home by these people.

Rain chuckled, "I'm glad you think so, we have had a few close calls…" her voice trailed off, I had a feeling that those close calls had been a bit too close.

"Anyway," her smile returning, "You're a participant."

"So I'm preforming?"

"Oh! Oh no. No, you see you will be in the audience opening night."

"So how is that being a participant?"

"Since you're going to live here for a while you will have to help or at least look inconspicuous."

"Like I'm just visiting the circus?"

"Exactly," Rain suddenly got a mischievous smile, "and also a bit more."

"Huh?" I didn't like the way she was looking at me. Like she was going to feed me to the lions.

She was about to say something but suddenly there was loud trumpet.

An elephant had fallen off a big ball and had hit the ladder holding the two clowns.

Immediately Rain and I ran over. Rain caught one clown and I was able to pull over a mat to cushion the other one's fall. I helped him up. He was wearing a fat suit.

The one Rain caught was as skinny as a toothpick. She set him down.

"Thanks Rain," said the skinny one.

"And thank you young lady," the fat one said to me.

"Not a problem," I reply.

"I'm Bosco," Said the fat one, "and this is Ramses."

The skinny one smiled and waved.

There was a loud trumpet again.

We all looked over to see a girl kneeling beside the elephant and examined its paw, "Ramses!" the girl called, worry stung in her voice.

The four of us ran over to the girl and elephant.

The girl stood up and looked at Ramses, "I think it hurt its foot."

Ramses, by my guess, was the animal doctor.

"Alright let me have a look," Ramses said as he knelt down and began to examine it.

"Will it be all right?" I asked.

After feeling for broken bones, Ramses nodded, "old Coconut will be fine, she just sprained her ankle," Ramses looked at Rain, "I'm afraid she won't be able to perform."

Rain nodded, "is there anything I can do to help?"

"Me to!" I added.

The girl sneered at me, "What do you know about elephants? I haven't seen you around here, so you obviously don't know anything-" she was cut off by Ramses.

"Trista!" Ramses barked, "That is enough. If she wants to help she can help."

"Sorry dad," Trista said looking down, maybe a little ashamed.

Ramses turned back to me with a smile, "we're going to have to wrap her ankle I'm going to need you to talk to her so she doesn't start squirming."

I nodded and when to the elephants head.

Bosco ran to the other end of the tent and into a place that had a big red cross over the wooden door. He quickly came running back holding all the materials.

I sat down by the elephants head as Ramses slowly began to move the foot.

Coconut trumpeted in pain.

"Shhh!" I began quickly, "everything will be alright. Coconut. Is that your name?"

Coconut whimpered.

"Well it's a good name, and it suits you," I continued awkwardly. How do you talk to an elephant?

Coconut moved her head slightly to look at me, her big blue eyes and equally big ears reminded me of Dumbo. I suddenly wondered if Coconut had lost her family to the Rat.

"So Coconut… it seems you won't be able to perform," Before I could cause more damage with that statement I quickly added, "but don't worry, by the next performance, you'll be back upon that ball giving the crowd your razzle dazzle!"

Coconut shook her head and trumpeted like she was scared.

Ignoring the pain in my ears from the noise I guessed why she sounded scared and hoped I hit the bull's eye, "hey now, just because of one little fall you're just going to give up?"

Coconut nodded.

"Well, that's not going to solve the problem. They need you Coco," why keep saying Coconut? "You just have to be a bit more careful. We all make mistakes and get hurt. I mean have you seen those acrobats? They're amazing! But they have to practice, and sometimes they make a mistake and fall. And what do they do after they fall?"

Coco trumpeted.

"They get right back up there and try it again, and then the next time they won't fall. And what about your good friend Ramses down there?"

I gestured towards the clown.

He looked up, guessing by his expression he hadn't heard a word I'd said.

"He could probably tell you a lot of stories how his past mistakes."

"Uh well I—" Ramses began standing.

Bosco laughed, "Yeah he does! Remember when you accidentally ate real flowers instead of the fake ones you were supposed to give me?"

Ramses blushed, "yes I—"

"And remember," Bosco continued laughing even harder, "you were sitting on Della's shoulder and you just randomly fell off and crashed onto the men's port-a-potty?"

"Yes I—" Ramses tried again face getting redder but I think this time with anger.

"You smelled like sewage for a week!" Bosco fell on the ground laughing.

Ramses looked like he was going to explode, "well what about all the stuff you did? Remember when you got stuck in the tiny car? And you were crying saying telling me to find you a wife then tell her you loved her?"

Rain who had been trying to hold in her laughter couldn't take it, she began to laugh.

Bosco blushed but also continued to laugh.

"And remember your trampoline accident?"

Bosco's laughing halted, "oh no please don't tell them that story Ramses."

Trista began to laugh, "I remember!"

Now all three of them were laughing and poor Bosco was whimpering on the floor.

"What happened?" I finally inquired.

"What happened?" Ramses said innocently as he looked evilly at Bosco, "what happened was first he got tangled in the springs."

Bosco whimpered, "Please no."

"Then the trampoline flipped over."

"Stop Ramses please!"

"And when we tried to flipping back over his feet untangled and was shot up into the air."

"And I landed safely without a scratch. The end!" Bosco said hurriedly. Standing up and waving his arms.

"Oh no dear Bosco that isn't the end. Then when he came down he fell into one of our pools, and it was the pool that opened at the bottom, so he and the water came falling down."

"Ramses!"

"Please Bosco let me finish, when he came down he went right through the ladies changing tent and was chased out with umbrellas."

"Oh!" Bosco moaned.

Ramses chuckled, "blinded by some bloomers he ran into the sausage tent and got tangled up in that. He looked like a stuffed ham. The butcher cut him down and chased him out. But as he stepped of the tent he tripped and fell. He fell into a—" Bosco covered Ramses' mouth with his giant white gloved hand.

"TURD!" Trista yelled finally getting her say in, "a big old elephant turd!"

Bosco let out a groan, "it was the most embarrassing thing ever!"

I giggled, "see Coco, everyone makes a mistake, I bet the next day Bosco was back on that trampoline."

"Oh no I wasn't! I haven't gotten on that trampoline in-oof!" Bosco was elbowed in the gut by Rain, "I-I mean yes! Of course I didn't let a little elly poo turn me away from that," he gulped, "death trap…" he said quietly then saw how his three friends were staring at him, "I mean wonderful bouncing machine," he forced a smile.

"Right," I begin petting Coco's trunk, "and Ramses isn't afraid of flowers. They continued on with what they were doing."

Coco nodded and looked like she smiled.

I stood and had Coco's trunk wrapped around my legs in what looked to be a hug. I smiled and patted her trunk. She let go and tried to stand.

"Oh hold on Girl!" Ramses said.

"Bosco!" Ramses shouted trying to keep Coco's foot from touching the ground, "get…" Ramses gritted his teeth, "the strong… man!"

Bosco went running.

I went to Coco's side, "hold on!" I said, "You're still hurt and are going to need rest, just stay down for a moment."

Coco stopped trying to get up and laid back down taking the weight off of Ramses who collapsed panting.

I then sat next to Coco's head again, Rain sat beside me.

Trista, after helping her dad, sat in front of us, "I've never made a mistake," she declared with a smirk.

Rain chuckled, "well I know I have made a lot of mistakes."

Trista's smirk turned into an open gape of astonishment, "you have!?"

I had been pretty sure Rain knew everybody by name and was very involved with the circus. I could even tell by the way the people, especially the children, looked at her with respect and awe. I could tell she was held to a higher standard than just about everyone here.

"Oh yes, when I was just about your age, I accidentally gave the doves some high protein bird seed instead of the regular and well…"

I knew what she meant, they got a case of the runs.

Trista and I giggled.

"What about you?" Trista asked.

I began to think, I made a lot of mistakes, running away from my friends, trying to fight a rat hoard… "My brother…" I whispered.

"A brother?" Rain asked.

I suddenly felt horrible, "My brother and I had a fight, just before I left."

"Oh," Trista suddenly seemed weary to continue.

"If you don't wish to speak of it you don't have to," Rain said putting an arm around me.

I hadn't even thought of that. If what my conscience said was true, about this not being a dream then… would I ever see my brother again? We'd fought and hadn't made up. Would I ever be able to tell him that I forgave him? I felt tears brim my eyes. I quickly wiped them away.

"Don't worry you'll see him again," Rain said, "Is he with your friends?"

"No, I… he should still be at him, with my mom and dad."

"So you're alone?" Trista asked, "Why?"

"Trista!" Ramses snapped.

"The Rat King put a spell on me," I muttered.

The three of them gasped.

"That's how I met my friends," I didn't want to tell them anymore and thankfully I didn't have to.

Bosco came back with a huge man wearing a jaguar print tunic and had bulging bisects; The Strong Man.

Trista, Bosco, Ramses, and the Strong Man were able to get Coconut to the animal infirmary without Rain and I's help. At least Rain assured me that.

Rain continued walking, she didn't mention my curse, but I almost wished she did.

"So…" I try to break the silence, "why call it Participant and Worker? They both sound pretty similar."

"Well a Participant is only temporary, like during a magic act, you participate once then you're done, you here temporarily, unless you choose to become a worker, then you stay permanently."

"Have many people done that?"

"Oh yes, Trista and Ramses for example. They used to be Refugees but decided to take up circus-ing."

"Trista and Ramses… their father and daughter?"

"Yes, but Ramses's wife… she is dead."

I felt a twinge of sadness, "Oh. The Rat?"

"No, she died of a disease when Trista was young. They had been looking for a home ever since, and when the Rat took over and we found them… well we gave them a place to stay, a home."

Again I felt pride for these people and I felt a new respect for Ramses and his daughter, though she'd been a bit stuck up before, she hadn't had a mother figure in her life until after she came to the circus and so now I saw that Rain was her mother figure.

I decided to change the subject though, "whose Mistre?"

"Mistre?" Rain asked ducking a beam that was being cared by a tall woman, "he's the ring leader, and he started this circus."

"Wow, really?" I

"Yes," She jumped up as a small man came carry a similar looking beam. I had to jump to, "we even preformed for the King and his son Prince Eric."

My heart skipped a beat. They'd preformed for Eric? "No way!"

"Way, we have even preformed for the Rat."

"What! Why?"

"He and his minions are oblivious to the trafficking we do. While we were preforming we were able to save a few of his prisoners."

"This has to be the best circus ever."

Rain chuckled. She pulled away a yellow curtain and behind it was a door, "here is your room," she handed me a key, "you may have to share when the show gets closer, that's when we get the most refugees, but for right now it's all yours."

"Thank you Rain." I smiled up at her, "for everything."

Rain smiled back, "Your welcome, and don't worry, we'll find your friends. The bathrooms are right over there," she pointed across the tent where I saw a wooden wall with two doors, "the girls is on the right. You should get their early it fills up pretty fast."

Great getting up early, "Alright, thank you."

I open my door and walk in, Rain walks away to let me get settled in, what we both don't know was that in the shadow of a tightrope platform hanging upside down by the wire, was a little gray bat, listening in on all we had to say.

"The King will want to hear of this," it muttered with a chuckle, "that girl may be alone for now, but the Nutcracker will find her," and with that the bat flew off into the dying light.

**FINISHED! YAY! Sorry I wasn't able to post yesterday I had nothing prewritten. just a quick check, make sure you've read the first book, some of the stuff in that one is kind of important for this one and the third book. I won't be able to post for a while. My computers been acting up and I need to let it rest, I'll be able to post again within a week or so. R&R thanks! **


	9. The Pasty Chef

**Whew it's been a while, sorry for the wait, this took longer than expected, had an essay due. Here's the next chapter. **

The next morning I was disoriented. I couldn't remember where I was. Was I at home on my photon? No. Was I in that crazy nurse's office? No. I opened my eyes.

I was in a white room about a fourth bigger than my room it had a window that was facing east. The reason I knew that was because the sun was directly hitting my face. It had little odds and ends. A shelf of toys and a little rocking horse in the corner.

Just under the window was an old white heater.

The floor had a gray white carpeting. There was a closet with sliding wooden doors. The kind that my parents had in their room except without the mirrors. The only lick of furniture was the bed I was sleeping in and the nightstand beside it.

The covers had been piled on when I came in last night. So that would explain the white, purple, and flower printed fabric strewed across the floor.

I must have been extremely exhausted because from the angle of the sun it was almost eight.

I let out a huff through my nose, so much for getting to the bathroom early. I yawned. I changed in my room, there was a nice selection of clothing, a few casual dresses, a few party dresses, some pants and shirts, a skirt or two and a few pairs of flats.

I decided on kakis and a purple spaghetti strap top and some black flats. It was warm outside. I knew that my hair and face were greasy. I'd have to shave later but I did know a trick that could help me get ready quicker, I just hoped they had it.

I had put my sword leaning against the night stand. I decided to leave it here. I grabbed my dirty clothes hoping to wash them and my room key.

I headed out.

When I came out I saw that people were already out and about, working on a few other things, getting ready for the show.

Bosco saw me as he was hanging up a banner, he smiled and waved at me.

Ramses was with him holding the ladder, he saw Bosco wave at me and he too turned and smiled at me, greeting me with a, "Good morning,"

The ladder Bosco was on began to teeter, "whoa whoa WHOA!"

Ramses quickly grabbed the ladder and steadied it.

I left them to their bickering.

I made my way across the stage and made it to the bathroom. I tried the knob and it was unlocked. I quickly went in.

There was a tub and curtain to my left and a sink and counter. Further in the left corner was a closet where towels and other things like that were stored. In the right corner we have a nice big shower with curtain and all. In between the shower and sink was a small door that until I opened up had no use.

So when I did open up all I saw was a wooden shelf above my head a silver pipe under it and a few clothes hanger. At my feet there was a square. It was a high hollow wooden square that came to my knees.

I naturally looked down and I saw the clown I saw yesterday eating a sandwich. The clown was shifting threw white sheets and different colored shirts down in a concrete wash room.

"Um, hello," I called.

The clown looked up and smiled at me, "hello there! Do you have anything dirty for me?"

"Uh, yeah I do," I said, "Do I just… toss them down?" I now recognized this system. Years ago when I had travelled to my aunt Lizzy's house and stayed the night, in her bath room instead of a dirty clothes hamper she simply had a little shoot that led straight to the washer and dryer in the basement.

"Yes, just toss them down, I should have them done by dinner," the clown

I nodded and tossed my dirty clothes down, "sorry I'm new here."

"Oh that's okay, we get new people all the time, no biggie," the clown caught my clothes and began to sort them, "I'm Regina by the way."

"I'm Clara," it felt so weird talking to someone through a wooden shoot.

"Nice to meet you. Like I said I'll get your clothes during dinner, do you want me to drop them off at your room?"

"Yes, thank you!"

"Not a problem Clara, I'll see you at dinner."

"Alright bye!"

I turned away from the closet, and that's when I realized three things: They didn't have the secret, I didn't have a tooth brush and toothpaste, and I was screwed.

I could live with my hair greasy, but I needed to at least brush my teeth. I had a saying: I'd rather have my hair messed up than by breath stinking. And it looked like I couldn't have either.

I let out a small groan, "well since they don't have baby powder I'll at least get the grease off my face."

I went to the towel closet and got a washcloth out and turned back to the sink and there on the dark marble counter was a small bottle of baby powder.

I dropped the washcloth and nearly fell backwards into the tub.

I blinked several times trying to see if I was just seeing things.

The bottle remained.

I gulped, I picked up the washcloth with a shaking hand and walked to the counter. I poked the bottle. It was solid. I decided to ignore it for the time being.

I washed my face. And finally looked to the bottle again. I shrugged and dumped some into my hand and began to massage it into my scalp. The baby powder took the moister out of my hair without damaging it. And it made my hair look like it had been washed.

I sighed and looked in the mirror, I looked better than before.

It was still tangled but I'd worry about that later, "now where would they keep toothbrushes and toothpaste?"

I bent down to look in the drawer, I found a brush, and some paste, but neither were for your teeth.

I took the brush out deciding I'd pop a mint or something when lo and behold, an unused tooth brush and unopened tube of tooth paste had appeared on the counter.

I let out a short scream and fell backwards.

Breathing heavily I picked myself up and stared at the hygiene products. Someone knocked, "hey you going to be done soon?" came a female voice.

"Y-yeah! Give me a minute," I hollered back.

Deciding it was best to just use them I quickly brushed my teeth sprayed some honey scented perfume, gathered up the products and exited the bathroom.

One of the acrobats I saw balancing on golden rings was standing out there in her PJs.

"Sorry," I muttered as I run to my room.

I didn't hear her reply.

I closed the door and quickly threw my stuff at my sword. One of the items hit it and made it fall over, it reviled my satchel.

I had completely forgot my satchel. I probably had everything I needed in there, and hadn't even thought of it.

I let out a long sigh through my nose. Forget it. I thought. I decided to put the stuff I'd gathered in there and get out and back to work.

A knock came at my door.

"It's unlocked!" I called.

"Just came to make sure you were okay, Welick (well lick) said she saw you come out of the bathroom like you'd seen a ghost."

"Oh uh, well…" Think, "cold shower."

"Oh, yes that water can get cold."

She didn't sound convinced. I decided it didn't really matter I open the door and we walked out to the grounds in silence.

Finally she broke it, "your hair isn't even wet," She moved my hair aside and I flinched.

She gasped as she quickly moved her hand away.

I wondered for a second why she had gasped, but then I realized I still had the bandages from the crazy tree top nurse. I had totally forgotten about my head and rib injuries.

"You're head!"

I nodded.

"What happened?"

"Uh…" I didn't want to tell her, I remained silent, staring at the ground.

"Come on, I'll take you to the medic," Rain grabbed my hand.

"Uh, n-no that's okay, I'm fine," I pull against her tug.

She looked me in the eye and her almond shaped eyes stared deep into mine. Her expression reflected concern, "You sure?"

I nodded.

"Alright…" She released my hand and we continued to walk.

"You woke up late, so I decided to get you breakfast," Rain said smiling at me as I stared at my sausage.

We sat at a red picnic bench.

"Thanks," I didn't really like sausage, bacon was more my style, but I decided it was better than starving, plus I wasn't about to insult Rain, she'd been the kindest person I'd met since I'd been here.

"Hey Rain!" Came a female voice I recognized.

Trista sat down beside Rain with a big smile on her face, "Good to see your up," She said to me.

I nodded and continued to stare at the sausage, "yep," was my only response.

"I didn't catch your name yesterday," Trista continued.

"Clara," I took a bit out of the sausage.

"Trista," She introduced herself again, "but I'm sure you knew that," she watched me eat for a little bit, "You alright?"

I shrugged, the shock of the Magic Bathroom had past and I was beginning to feel groggy.

"You should change those bandages soon," Rain said.

"Bandages? What bandages?" Trista asked eyeing me.

I moved my hair aside and was rewarded a gasp.

"How'd that happen?"

I didn't say anything.

"I asked the same question," Rain said to Trista, "Seems she doesn't want to talk about it."

"Does she have any other injuries? I could take her to the medic—"

"She says she's fine, I'm not sure about other injuries."

The two looked at me. I had eaten half of my sausage and I no longer felt hungry.

"Well I think you should take it easy, at least for today, those bandages look near new," Trista said.

I nodded.

"You done?" Rain asked.

I nodded.

She took the half eaten sausage and threw it away. The three of us stood and walked into one of the smaller tents.

This tent was green and could fit a banquet hall. That is where we spent the rest of the day.

"HAIR NET!" That was the first thing that I heard when I came into the kitchen.

I was suddenly smacked in the head, giving me the feeling like I'd just been kicked in the head by a horse, and found myself sprawled on the ground.

"HAIR NET!"

I groaned as I sat up suddenly wishing I'd went to the medic, "The heck was that?"

"HAIR NET!" was the reply.

I was gently helped up, "Sorry Clara, I guess I forgot how Minestrone is about sanitation," Rain said.

"Minestrone?" I muttered as I stood shakily clutching my head which now had a hair net, "isn't that like, an Italian vegetable soup?"

"Yes, but that is also what we call him," Trista said.

"Oh," like that made perfect sense.

"WASH 'ANS!" I recognized a french-ish chef accent, I suddenly knew where this was heading.

"Alright alright!" Trisha yelled, "We get it!"

The French man was about a head shorter than me, he wear a crisp ghost white chief's outfit including the hat. His gray hair was back in a lunch lady style bun and in a hair net. His skin was yellowish and had a huge upper lip, balding green eyes, and the scariest glare. I swear Masher and this guy could have been related.

He eyed me critically, and at the moment I was not in the mood to be yelled at about hygiene, but he didn't seem that interested in me, instead he turned his attention on Trista, "zays zey little gurl who playz wit Elly-phant poop!"

Trista's face turned bright red, and Minestrone gave her a smirk.

"Why you little—" Trista growled.

Minestrone chuckled, "and who is dis?"

"This," Rain cut in, "is Clara."

"Ah!" the chief smiled broadly, but I'm not sure if it was a warm grin or not, "Clarie!"

"-uh," I tried to correct him, "Clare-uh," but it was too soft for him to hear.

"And I zee juew know youar soups!" he continued ignoring my correction.

I shrugged.

"Well wash youar 'ans and we zhall zee what juew can do!" I didn't like the way he said that.

Rain and I washed our hands but Trista followed the chef around, now ignoring her completely, as she yelled at him about how she did not play with elephant poop.

"So, you call your chef a soup and your Ring Leader a mystery," I muttered, Rain and Trista both had hair nets on now, and by the looks of it Rain had been handed hers and Minestrone had attacked Trista with hers.

Rain had put her hair net on while, like mine, Trista's had just appeared.

"Well when you officially become a part of the circus, there's a little ceremony, and you choose your new name, "Trista and Ramses kept theirs, Minestrone choose his, and Mistre is what everyone has always called him. Except his dad, he calls him Junior."

I giggled at that, "so, is Rain you real name?"

"No, my real name was Reyna, but I changed it to Rain."

"Do you guys have a saying like: Once part of the circus always a part of the circus?"

"Yes but it's, 'Once part of Cirque du Soleil always a part of Cirque du Soleil.'"

I let out a gasp, these guys were not just any Circus they were Cirque du Soleil, Circus of the Sun.

"Whoa," I let out a heavy breath.

Rain shrugged.

"You cakes tastes like tiger dung!" came a scream from Trista.

"Juew would know!" Minestrone laughed.

"Alright that is enough!" Rain cut in.

I turned and leaned on a white counter top, and frankly enjoyed the next few moments.

Trista had pounced on Minestrone and the two were now in what looked like some sort of boa knot.

Though the two looked like they were hopelessly stuck they continued to throw insults at each other and struggling only seemed to tighten the knot.

"You little hurl barbecuing sanitation freak!"

"Annie-mal slaving cud chewing ninny!"

"You couldn't make a decent meal of an egg!"

"Juew wouldn't know gourmet cuisine if it smacked Juew in de face!"

"Germ-a-phob!"

"Tah-ree hug-air!"

"Informal Cookie!"

"Hog Monkay"

"Short order Cook!"

"Rat whisp-erer!"

"Pasty Chef!"

"Daddy'z gurl!"

Trista stopped short. She looked stunned, infuriated, and deeply hurt at the same time; and I had no idea why.

Minestrone looked smug for all of two seconds until Trista's face twisted, now the only expression visible was rage.

That's when I knew I had to cut in, "Okay! Before someone gets the idea to dump boiling water on the others head I'd like to say that you two need to shut up."

I'd probably just sealed my fate, but then Minestrone laughed, "Boiling zay wat-air takes-zah too long!"

"I'd be willing to wait," Trista muttered.

I'd been able to distract them long enough for Rain to untangle them. She took over from there.

"Clara's right, I'll have to separate two if we are ever going to get dinner done," Rain said, glaring at the two as if they were small children.

"Yes ma'am," the two muttered under their breath having their hands behind their backs and each throwing resentful looks at the other.

"Right, Minestrone what do you need us to do."

Minestrone snapped back to his normal state of cheerfulness, "Ah yes! Rain and Clarie shall tend zay noodals! Make a-extra sure dat day are to zay tooth!" He then turned to Trista with an almost evil smirk, "and I have a a-special job for juew!" He laughed and took her wrist and led her away.

"Should we help her?" I asked.

"Nah, she can take care of herself," Rain laughed.

"This is a big kitchen," I now got a good look at the white room.

To our left was a wall lined with different kind of ovens. To our right there was counter in the middle and then beyond that was freezers. Above the counters and below them as well were wooden cupboards. And nearly every flat surface was white. The tent seemed to go on forever!

"Ah here they are," Rain finally said when we came to four stoves with each six burners all with pots with boiling water and noodles in them.

"We're making dinner?" I asked.

"Yes," Rain said.

"Oh. Okay," why question this now?

"Here," Rain said gesturing me to a pot on a front burner, "you take these to and I'll take the other two."

So we tended the noodles. Then we were ordered to make three different types of tomato sauce, and three different types of white sauces.

After that we were ordered to begin cooking off the venison and lamb.

We hadn't seen Trista in a while, but multiple people came in and out helping us cook ten different meals. Enough for two armies.

"I've had it with this!" Trista yelled storming into the kitchen with a bloodied apron, that's when I realized I hadn't seen Minestrone in a while.

"Come now ma chère, it was only chick-en guts," Minestrone laughed coming out from behind her.

"And beaks and claws!" Trista yelled ripping the bloodied apron off and throwing it at the miniature chef.

Rain and I hold in our laughter.

"Fine, zen go!" Minestrone said shooing her away.

With a huff she left.

Minestrone turned to see us staring, "What are juew look-ing at!" He yelled at us, "Get back to work!" he hit some pots and pans together, jump starting us back to a quick pace of seasoning and grilling.

During dinner I sat with Rain at a large round table in the green tent.

From what Rain told me, dinner was served communally. Throughout the day the people were on their own for a meal, but there were plenty of small places that you could get food, so you were well taken care of within the grounds. But dinner was where everyone, Worker or Participant ate together. So dinner was the biggest meal, and it was the most important. It was where the people found out what was going on later in the night and next day, and caught up on what had happened that day.

Ramses, Bosco, and Trista sat with us, I was feeling a lot better after being up for a while and was much more responsive.

We were having a grand conversation about potatoes and woolly mammoths when we heard a sharp clang of glass.

Minestrone stood on a small round platform, he cleared his throat, "Alright now everyone, Our Ring leedar is about to speak. Quiet down!"

Minestrone barely was able to get off the stage in time when in a puff of red smoke Mistre appeared. The smoke slowly turned purple as Mistre eyed the crowd.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" Mistre cried as if he was announcing the show, "Today we have no major reports,"

Everyone looked relieved.

"The list of the next round of watchmen has been posted. Remember to keep an eye out for anything strange, we don't want to lose any Worker or Participant.

"We'd like to thank Minestrone and those who helped him with this meal."

A few clapped and hollered.

"Coconut will not be preforming, I'm afraid, so the backup act must remember to practice."

And so it went Mistre rattled off announcement after announcement and finally ended with a blessing, "may the Gods bless this food!"

The food was served by dozens of different people. It was like a circus act all on its own. The 'waiters' balanced plates on their heads and feet as well as their hands and arms. They spun around and the plates would land safely on the tables. It reminded me of how SpongeBob would serve Crabby Patties.

"Dig in everyone!" Mistre cried, "Enjoy!"

In another puff of green smoke that slowly turned yellow, he was gone.

"Does he always do that?" I asked.

"He mostly does that for the children," Ramses said.

"Indeed!" Bosco said with a mouth full of chicken parmesan.

There was a pause from Ramses whose face slowly twisted into a scowl, Ramses turned his head and glared at Bosco, "don't talk with your mouth full! You're worse than the children!"

Bosco continued to chew but now he had a scowl on his face.

Ramses went back to eating.

A few moments passed and I thought the argument was done.

Bosco flipped a pie into Ramses' face.

Ramses' face turned red.

The two battled until the end of dinner.

"I swear, I'm more mature than my father!" Trista mumbled as she pushed her strudel away.

I shrugged, "I wish my dad was like this, dinner would be a lot more fun."

"Maybe we could switch dads," Trista chuckled.

"Rain!" Mistre appeared in between Rain and I's seats, "I see you are all enjoying the food."

Ramses and Bosco didn't reply, and Trista hid her face.

"It's very good, yes," Rain said sending a smile to Mistre.

I had the sudden feeling like I was intruding on something. I quickly looked away and looked around the dining hall.

Animals roamed around along with people. I saw Minestrone scurrying around somewhere, Regina the clown was walking around to speaking with some of the people.

It was like one big happy family, it reminded me, a lot of my family back home. Huge, dysfunctional, as so many problems and people that you just can't keep track of, and just a communal sense of respect and love.

I suddenly felt home sick, which never happens, but the other times where different. I'd either been with them or was never very far away. And even when I'd journeyed across the world, there was a guarantee I'd return home. Now I wasn't so sure.

"I'd love to Mistre, thank you," Rain's voice snapped me out of my gloomy thoughts.

"Wonderful! I'll see you then!" Mistre said. He walked away. The way he walked was almost ungraceful, as if his limbs were too long and unevenly balanced. He walked like Jack Skellington.

"Sooooo…" I dragged the syllable out as long as I could, "you and Mistre?"

"Hm? What?" Rain's dreamy expression melted away.

Trista laughed.

"What? Oh, um no," Rain composed herself quickly, "we're just friends."

"Riiiiight," Trista and I said at the same time giving each other meaningful looks.

Rain rolled her eyes, "shut up," was her only quiet reply, but it was light.

"Take this!" came Bosco's war cry as he slapped another pie into Ramses' face.

"Why you!" Ramses yelled and slammed a fruit cake into Bosco's mouth.

Trista face-palmed and groaned.

"So Clara," Rain began a new subject, "who are your friends?"

"My friends?" I asked not entirely sure what she wanted.

"Yes who are they? What do they look like, so if one of our scouts see them we can reunite you guys," Rain explained.

"Yeah!" Trista piped in, "tells about 'em."

"Well, there were three men I was traveling with, Major Mint, Captain Candy, and Nutcracker."

Trista gasped, "Candy People!" she sounded excited.

"Uh…" I was now confused, "I'm sorry what?"

"Oh that's okay, you see a lot of people don't know, but Barthania is made up of just about every kind of people. Candy People, Fruit People, the Animals, Fairies, and so on."

"Uh…" deciding it was too complicated already I decided to go with it, "okay, that makes more sense."

Rain nodded.

"So, a Nutcracker?" Trista remarked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"And they were all guys?" Trista continued.

"Yes…" Where was this going?

"Then one of them… must be your boyfriend!" Trista exclaimed.

There, it was going there, "no, none of them are my boyfriend."

Trista pouted, "Forever alone?"

"Let us only hope," I replied with a smirk.

Trista and Rain giggled.

When we were done at dinner we went our separate ways.

I collapsed onto my bed and almost immediately fell asleep.

**Minestrone's accent is a mix of French and Bayou French. Ramses does have a bit of a proper English accent. R&R. its such a freaking long chapter! *wipes sweat off brow*** **enjoy.**


End file.
